Self-assessment, in the education framework, is a methodology that motivates students to play an active role in reviewing their performance. It is defined as "the evaluation or judgment of 'the worth' of one's performance and the identification of one's strengths and weaknesses with a view to improving one's learning outcomes". The goal…

This paper reports on a study of choices about the use of a computer algebra system (CAS) or pen-and-paper (p&p) by a class of seven Year 11 Mathematical Methods (CAS) students as they completed a calculus worksheet. Factors that influenced students' choices are highlighted by comparing and contrasting the use of CAS and p&p between…

This paper is a descriptive and preliminary report on recent efforts to address two questions: 1) Can school mathematics be used to enhance our students' ability to understand their changing world? and 2) What role might computer technology play in this regard? After recounting some of the mathematical tools that led to a better understanding of…

Casyopee is an evolving project focusing on the development of both software and classroom situations to teach algebra and analysis at upper secondary level. In this article, we sketch the rationales for the Casyopee project in relationship with the focus on functions in upper secondary curricula. To evaluate Casyopee's contribution, we present…

This paper draws on a one year study of three secondary school classrooms to examine the nature of student-student-technology interaction when working in partnership with computer algebra systems (CAS) on mathematical modelling tasks and the classroom affordances and constraints that influence such interaction. The analysis of these data indicates…

The authors' proposed work builds upon 12+ years of research collectively known as the "SimCalc Projects." SimCalc Connected MathWorlds (SCM) combines two innovative technological ingredients to address core mathematical ideas in deep and sustainable ways for mathematics learners. Software that addresses content issues through dynamic…

This study was designed as a confirmatory study of work on "productive failure" (Kapur, "Cognition and Instruction," 26(3), 379-424, 2008). N = 177, 11th-grade science students were randomly assigned to solve either well- or ill-structured problems in a computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment without the provision of any…

This study demonstrates an existence proof for "productive failure": engaging students in solving complex, ill-structured problems without the provision of support structures can be a productive exercise in failure. In a computer-supported collaborative learning setting, eleventh-grade science students were randomly assigned to one of…

In this study, the authors compared four multimedia learning arrangements differing in instructional approach on effectiveness and efficiency for learning: (a) hypermedia learning, (b) observational learning, (c) self-explanation-based learning, and (d) inquiry learning. The approaches all advocate learners' active attitude toward the learning…